If the candidates for the campaigns are certified, then a primary will occur on July 12 with the eventual recall to take place on August 9.

Democratic officials have criticized the intent of supposedly Republican-leaning individuals to run in a Democratic primary.[1] Republican officials meanwhile have publicly supported the candidacies of “fake” candidates.[2]

There are currently six individuals who have been called “fake” candidates. They are:

AssemblywomanSandy Pasch (D), who is also running in district 8 against Alberta Darling, criticized the fake candidate, saying "It's a little appalling to me that they are running a fake Democrat."[3] Similar sentiments came from other Democratic candidates. Nancy Nusbaum -- who has declared in District 2 -- called the move "a mockery of the democratic process," and "a sign of desperation,"[4] while Shelly Moore -- who has declared in District 10 -- released a statement, saying, "the Republican Party must immediately shut down this partisan, coordinated attack on democracy that wastes taxpayer dollars."[5]

The “fake” candidates, which include a former Republicanstate assemblyman and a recent member of the La Crosse County Republican Committee, have been upfront about their motives. Junkermann, when asked if he was a "spoiler candidate," replied, “I don’t know how I could avoid being considered that,”[4] while Smith said, "I consider myself more of a protest candidate than a spoiler candidate. I think light really needs to be shed onto the recall process.”[6]

Meanwhile, all three Democratic incumbent races have seen multiple candidates file as opponents as well. However, there has been no criticism publicly regarding the nature of these opponents. If the two Republican candidates running in Wirch, Hansen, and Holperin recalls each obtain sufficient numbers of signatures, then that will trigger primaries on July 19 and a recall election on August 16.